Twas The Night Before Christmas
by nebula2
Summary: Twas the night before Christmas and while decorating the tree with Savannah Derek recieves a call about a friend. Morgan/Reid friendship set in season twelve set after "Scarecrow".


AN: So ideally, this was supposed to be done before Christmas but that didn't happen. Thought about switching it to New Year's but didn't like that idea, so I figured I'd just post a late Christmas fic. Hope you all enjoy!

* * *

Though he had lived in the D.C. area for over a decade, rarely had Derek Morgan spent Christmas in the area. If a case hadn't taken the team away from home and family for the holiday then he usually flew home to Chicago for Christmas. This year though, he and Savannah had chosen to spend their first Christmas as a family in their own home.

Derek was amazed at how comfortable and right this all felt. He was happy playing dad and renovating his properties. No, it wasn't as exciting as chasing criminals were but he was content. He loved being there when Savannah came home from a long shift and he was enjoying seeing Hank grow and change daily. He was even becoming quite a chef, though that talent had come through more trail and error than anything else.

Still, this Christmas was set to be one of his best ones he remembered having, even though Savannah had to go in at three the following day. However, they had tonight to themselves as well as the following morning. They would even share an early dinner together before Savannah left for working leaving Derek alone with their son for the remaining day. It was perfect, but then life never was. You simply did the best you could with what you had. That was one lesson that Derek had learned well.

"Are you going to stand there or are you going to help decorate this tree?"

Savannah's question brought Derek from his thoughts and back to the present. Christmas music filled the air as the two of them stood in the living room surrounding by bins of Christmas decorations. They had far more than they needed, having not yet sorted and combined their collections.

"I'm helping, I'm helping," Derek replied, smiling at his wife as he held his hands up in surrender, the last ornament he had selected hanging from his right hand.

The couple went back to decorating the Christmas tree.

"You do know that this is probably the last time that you'll be able to keep me from putting up a tree before Christmas Eve, don't you," Derek informed his wife as he placed the ornament on the tree. He had been trying for the last couple of weeks to get Savannah to pick out a tree with him. She had insisted that it was her tradition not to put up a tree until Christmas Eve. As he had been warned by several people that marriage was about compromises and choosing your battles. Deciding this one wasn't a battle that he wanted to have so early in the marriage, he had agreed to wait until Christmas Eve for the tree. "Especially, once Hank is old enough to be interested in having the tree up."

Savannah smiled as she placed a bulb on the tree. She looked wistfully at the blue spruce she and Derek had chosen that morning. "I suppose we'll find our own Christmas Eve traditions in the years to come and I'll have to let go of some of my childhood ones."

Derek stepped over to Savannah and wrapped his arms around her waist. "We'll figure it out together," he promised her. Leaning in, he gave her a long passionate kiss.

"Well, you have any problems with the tradition of drinking hot chocolate and singing Christmas carols while sitting near the tree?"

"Now that's a tradition I can definitely get behind," Derek told her with a huge grin on his face.

"But first we've got to finish the tree," Savannah countered, breaking away from her husband's embrace.

The two of them went back to decorating the tree, choosing ornaments to keep and one's to give away as they went. Finally, the only decoration left was the tree topper.

"So, do we go with my angel or your Christmas star?" Savannah asked, holding each ornament in one hand.

"Well, we did wait until Christmas Eve to put up the tree, so I'd like to put the star on the tree."

"That does seem fair," Savannah admitted, handing the star to Derek.

Taking the star from Savannah, Derek placed it on the tree. Taking a step back, he looked up and admired the star shining down from the top of the tree. His mother had sent it to him on the first Christmas that he hadn't spent at home.

"Yes, the star does look good up there and next year we'll have the angel smiling down at us," Derek commented. "Alternating toppers every other year seems like a fair compromise."

"Yes, it does," Savannah agreed, wondering why she hadn't thought of that idea herself. "I'll go start the hot chocolate," she added, heading for the doorway. She had only gotten a few steps when she heard Derek's phone ring. Glancing back, she knew from the expression on her husband's face as he glanced at the screen that something wasn't quite right.

"Hello?" Derek said into the phone, having not recognized the number that was calling.

As Savannah watched her husband's expression change from one of confusion to one of concern, she knew that the call wasn't a wrong number or a simple holiday greeting. Wondering what was going on, she stood rooted in place as she listened to Derek's side of the conversation. From her husband's short answers she couldn't figure out what was going on. What she did know was that whatever the call was about it wasn't good news.

"What's wrong?" Savannah asked as soon as Derek lowered the phone from his ear.

"That was a nurse from Memorial ER. Reid's there. Paramedics brought him in after a call from the airport."

"I thought Spencer was in Texas spending the holidays with his mother?"

"So did I," Derek replied, confused and a little hurt that Reid had changed his plans without so much of a mention to him. "Apparently something changed though," he added. The former FBI profiler paused for another minute before he came out of his state of shock and headed toward the hallway. "The hot chocolate is going to have to wait. They wouldn't tell me much on the phone but I need to get down there."

"Of course," Savannah replied, following her husband from the room as he headed for the coat rack. "If you want, I'll bundle up Hank and go with you."

Derek shook his head. "There's no need to wake him," he said, as he reached for his coat. "I'll be fine," he continued, shrugging into it, the familiar leather coat feeling comforting in the surprise turn of events. "I'll call you as soon as I get a chance," he promised Savannah, leaning in to kiss his wife good-bye.

"Okay," Savannah replied. "I'll go spruce up the guest room just in case."

Derek smiled his gratitude at her. He wasn't sure how he got so lucky to find someone who understood him so well, but it was times like this that he realized just how well Savannah did get him.

With another quick good-bye, Derek headed out the front door and into the frigid Christmas Eve night. Hurrying toward the SUV, he soon had the vehicle on the road and heading for the hospital, perhaps just a little faster than he should have been. Still, the only thing he could think about was getting to Reid's side as quickly as he could even if the younger man hadn't been the one to call him.

Reaching the emergency room parking lot, Derek parked his SUV in the first available parking spot and hurried toward the entrance. The conversation with the receptionist was thankfully brief and he was soon being directed to where Reid was by a nurse. The only information the nurse would give him was that Spencer was stable and seemed to be resting comfortably. Reaching the room Reid was currently in, Derek knocked quietly on the door but didn't wait for a reply before pushing it open.

Stepping into the room, Morgan was greeted with quiet as the television in the small room was off. Most of the lights in the room were also off, which made Derek suspect that Reid was dealing with the severe headaches that had once plagued him. Spencer lay on the room's bed, eyes closed and face as white as the sheet beneath him. A tan blanket covered Reid's lower half, revealing a hospital gown where the blanket ended. Off to the side, Morgan noticed Reid's go-bag underneath his winter coat, giving Morgan the impression that Reid had just gotten back in town tonight.

Crossing over to the bed, Morgan grabbed the room's lone chair and pulled it toward the bed. The sound of the chair dragging across the tile floor seemed loud in the otherwise quiet room. The nosie caused Reid's eyes to flutter open.

"Hey, Kid," Morgan greeted as he settled down in the chair at the bedside. Closer now, Morgan could see the dried traces of tears on Reid's face, as well as the puffy eyes.

"They called you? I told them they didn't have to." Spencer replied, his gaze settling on Morgan.

"I guess someone decided you needed a friend down here with you," Morgan replied, grateful to whoever that was. It also explained why not much information had been given to him on the phone. "And I'm glad they did," he added, hoping to reassure his friend that he didn't mind being called. "So, how about you tell me what's going on? I thought you were spending Christmas in Texas?"

"I was but I just couldn't. I went to have breakfast with my mother this morning, and she didn't recognize me. It wasn't the first time it happened and it didn't last long but all I could think about was what if it happened tomorrow. I have so many happy memories of the Christmases we have spent together and somehow, if I showed up at the clinic tomorrow and she didn't know who I was, I thought it might spoil all those memories so I ran. I asked the staff there to tell her I got called away for work and just left. I know, I'm a terrible son," he managed to get out, before he bit his lip and looked up at the ceiling.

Derek could tell Reid was trying not to start crying again. Reaching out, he took one of Reid's hands in his own, trying to offer some type of comfort. "That does not make you a terrible son," Derek reassured him. "I can't imagine what you're going through right now kid, but you've got to take care of yourself before you can be there for her. If you were going to be upset, then leaving might have been for the best. Seeing you upset isn't going to help her, and no one can be strong every hour of every day. You'll call her tomorrow and wish her a Merry Christmas and apologize for not being able to be there, and she'll understand."

"I hope you're right."

"I am. I'm a parent now, Kid. I know these things," Morgan said, thinking about Hank and knowing that there was nothing that kid could do that would ever make him stop loving him.

Reid gave a small laugh at the comment. A soft, "right," followed as he closed his eyes again.

"So, that explains why you're home but it doesn't explain why you're here."

"The headache started while I was waiting for a flight out in Texas. It wasn't bad at first but by the time I boarded the flight it had just gotten worse. I guess I looked worse to as the flight attendant kept hovering around me. When we landed, the pain was so bad I could barely walk. The flight crew is the one that called for the paramedics."

"I thought the headaches had gone away?"

Reid opened his eyes and looked toward Derek, the guilt clear in his expression. "They had, at least except for an occasional one here and there. But these last couple of months, I've been getting them again, nothing like the one tonight though. I guess maybe that first doctor was right. They are psychosomatic."

"That doesn't make them any less real for you and you have been under a lot of stress lately - me leaving the BAU, the mass breakout, Hotch leaving, your mother. It's a lot for anyone to take in."

"Maybe," Reid replied, the tone in his voice clearly telling Derek that he hadn't been convincing. He knew Reid, and he knew Reid felt the headaches were nothing but a sign of weakness in him.

"No, Kid. There is no maybe. If these headaches are psychosomatic, the only thing they mean is that your body is telling you that you need to take things easy for a bit."

Reid didn't respond right away and Derek didn't push him for a response. Sometimes, waiting him out was the best course of action when it came to Reid.

"They took a CT scan. What if it shows something this time?"

Derek gave the hand he was holding a reassuring squeeze. "Then _we_ deal with whatever it is but let's not worry about that right now. We'll wait and see what the doctor says."

"Right. Wait and see," Reid commented, a slight shiver going through his body.

"Are you cold?"

"I'm fine."

The quick response told Derek that the opposite was true. He was just about to press the call button when there was a knock on the door and a nurse poked her head in.

"How are you feeling, Spencer?" the nurse asked. Derek recognized her voice as being the one that had called him.

"Fine."

"Did the medicine help the headache at all?"

"It did some," Reid assured her.

"On a scale from one to ten, where is the pain at now?"

"Six," Reid replied, lowering the number from the seven that he had told her earlier.

"I'll make the note."

"Can you get him another blanket, please?" Derek asked, knowing that Reid wouldn't bother asking for himself but not about to let his friend suffer from something he could fix.

"Of course," the nurse replied before stepping back out of the room.

"You didn't need to ask for another blanket, Morgan."

"Yes, I did. This isn't the first time I've sat by your bedside in a hospital and you're always cold."

Reid smiled at the remark even as he closed his eyes again. Silence fell over the room again, interrupted a few minutes later by the nurse dropping off the blanket.

"Thanks," Morgan said, having gotten to his fit to take the blanket from her.

"No problem. Let me know if either of you needs something else," she replied quietly before slipping back out the door.

Unfolding the blanket, Morgan draped it over his friend before reclaiming his seat at Reid's bedside.

"Thanks," Reid murmured, not opening his eyes.

"You're welcome, Kid," Morgan replied.

While Reid rested, Morgan looked up at the clock on the wall. As he watched the hands chase each other around the face, Morgan wondered where the doctor was. Reid had mentioned a CT scan which must be what they were waiting for the results from, but what was taking so long. The former profiler was watching the clock for ten minutes before there was another knock at the door. This time, an older man with grey hair and a white coat walked in.

"Hello, I'm Dr. Randall," the guy replied upon spotting Morgan.

"Derek Morgan," Derek replied in response, refraining from asking the doctor what was going on, knowing the older man wouldn't be able to tell him anything without Reid's consent.

The exchange had caused Reid to open his eyes. "So what did the CT scan show?" Reid asked, wanting to get right to the point. Seeing Dr. Randall glance in Derek's direction he added, "it's alright. Morgan's just like family."

"Very well. The good news is, that the CT scan came back negative. Unfortunately, that means we still don't know what is causing your headache. We could do other tests, but given the medical history that you've relayed to us, I don't think they'll show anything either."

"So, it's all in my head, right?"

"Stress can impact us in a lot of different ways, some of which we don't fully understand," Dr. Randall replied. "The nurse told me that the medicine we gave you is helping the headache, so I'm going to send you home with a few doses of it in pill form, given that tomorrow is Christmas. If there is still any trace of your headache in twelve hours, take another one. I would also recommend talking to your regular doctor about getting a prescription for something to take when these things start and not letting them get so bad."

"I will," Reid replied.

Beside him, Morgan made a mental note to make sure Reid did follow up with his doctor.

"Then, I'll send the nurse in with the discharge papers," the doctor said. He looked toward Morgan. "You'll see that he gets home okay."

"I will," Morgan replied, fully intending to take Reid to his place for tonight even if the kid didn't realize it yet.

"Okay then. Hope you feel better, Spencer," Dr. Randall said before turning to leave the room.

Alone with Reid, Morgan looked down at his friend. "I'm going to step outside to call Savannah and tell her to expect us home shortly while you get dressed."

"You can drop me off at my apartment, Morgan. I'll be fine."

"I know I can, but I'm not going to. I'm not about to let you spend Christmas alone in that apartment especially when you're not feeling well. Besides, Savannah was already planning on getting the guest bedroom ready for you when I left. You don't want her to have gone through all that trouble for nothing, do you?"

"Well when you put it that way, thanks Morgan," Reid said, giving in without further argument.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Reid was sitting in the passenger seat of Morgan's car, his forehead resting against the cold glass. Though the pain of the headache hadn't gotten any worse, moving about had caused the nausea he had felt earlier to come back. He had hoped he could make the car trip without incident but he didn't think that was going to happen.

"Morgan, pull over," Reid requested, his hand already fumbling with the latch on the seatbelt.

Not questioning the request, Morgan maneuvered the SUV over to the side of the road, slowing down as he did so. The vehicle had just slowed to a stop when Reid clambered out of it, taking only one step before emptying his stomach of what little contents it did have. Reid was still enduring the dry heaves when he felt a hand come to rest on his back.

When the dry heaves finally passed, Reid straightened up, flashes of color on the edge of his vision as he did so. He felt a bit unsteady for a few seconds, the feeling passing even before Morgan had time to wrap a strong arm across his shoulders for support.

"You feel better now?" Morgan asked.

"Yeah," Reid replied, nodding his head slightly and regretting the movement.

"Come on then," Morgan said, leading Reid back toward the SUV.

Morgan let Reid climb into the car and then pushed the door shut before going around the SUV. It wasn't long before he had the vehicle back on the road. Shortly after he was pulling into his driveway. Pulling the key out of the ignition, Morgan noted that Savannah had turned the porch light on for them.

Getting out of the SUV, Morgan walked around to the passenger side where Reid was pulling his go-bag out of the back seat.

"I got that for you, Kid," Morgan said, reaching out to take the bag from Reid. The younger man let him have it without protest.

Looping an arm around Reid's shoulder again, Morgan guided his friend toward his front door. Having been watching for them, Savannah opened the front door and ushered them inside.

"I'm sure you want to lie down but can I get you anything?" Savannah asked as she shut the door behind the two men.

"Just water, please."

"You got it," Savannah replied, heading for the kitchen even as Morgan lead Reid toward the guest room.

Walking past the living room, Reid noticed the collection of boxes still in the livingroom.

"Sorry for disrupting your evening," Reid commented quietly.

"Nonsense, Kid. You're never a bother," Morgan replied, giving Reid's shoulders a slight squeeze.

After showing him to the guest room, Morgan left Reid alone to get changed and headed for the kitchen. Savannah was pouring a glass of water from the jug kept in the refrigerator. On the stove a pan of milk was warming up.

"You still want hot chocolate?" Savannah asked, glancing over her shoulders as Derek walked into the kitchen.

"Yeah. As soon as I get Spencer settled, we can clean up the living room and maybe watch a Christmas special before retiring."

"Sounds like a plan," Savannah replied, picking up the glass of water and handing it to Derek. She then crossed to the refrigerator and opened the freezer side of the appliance. Taking out one of the reusable ice packs she held it out to Derek. "Have Spencer place this at the base of the skull. It helps some people with migraines. It might help him."

"I will," Morgan said, taking the ice pack from her. "I'll inform him its doctor's orders if he's reluctant to try it," he added, before he left the kitchen again.

* * *

"Well, hopefully I'll get a few hours of uninterrupted sleep before he decides he's hungry again," Savannah commented as she watched Derek lay Hank back down in the bassinet. The infant had woken up awhile ago looking for a diaper change and food. Savannah was actually pleased that Hank had wakened before they had laid down.

"Just wait until he's older and he has us up at four a.m. on Christmas morning because of sheer excitement," Derek replied.

"If he does, I'll be sending you to occupy him why I get some more sleep," Savannah informed him. "Speaking of which, are you coming to bed now?"

"In a bit," Derek replied quietly, taking his eyes off the sleeping form of his son as he stepped away from the bassinet. "I want to check on Spencer and then there are a few things I need to do. You go ahead though."

"Okay," Savannah replied. She gave her husband a kiss before heading for their bedroom.

After double checking the baby monitor, Derek left the nursery as well. Stopping by the guest bedroom, Derek peeked in through a cracked door. Just like when they had shared hotel rooms during cases, a lamp had been left on. One thing that hadn't changed over the years was Spencer's fear of the dark. In the light it cast, Derek could see that his friend was resting, his face still pale. He could only hope that come the morning the medicine and sleep would have done its job and Reid's headache would be gone.

Satisfied that Reid was resting, Derek left the room and headed downstairs. Finding the two gifts that he had bought for Reid and had intended to give to him after Christmas, Derek went to the livingroom to place them under the tree with the gifts that he and Savannah had gotten for each other. There was even a wrapped teddy bear for Hank, though the infant was far too young to be aware of anything taking place tomorrow. Still, Derek didn't want his son left out on his first Christmas.

Taking a step back, Derek looked at the tree with its small pile of presents. In a couple of years, that pile would be bigger as Hank became more aware of the world around them. With any luck, there would even be the presents of siblings joining the stash. It was something that Derek couldn't wait to experience.

This year though, it would be a small, quiet celebration of the holiday. Instead of three though, there would be four, and Derek didn't mind the last minute change of plans at all. He was more than happy to have Spencer, his little brother, sharing in the festivities. He only hoped that Spencer was feeling better and could enjoy the day.

Derek heard footsteps behind him. Turning he saw Spencer walking into the room.

"I didn't wake you did I?" Derek asked, wondering if opening the door even part way had disturbed his friend.

"No," Reid replied. "I got up to use the bathroom and saw the lights still on out here. I would have thought you would have gone to bed by now."

"I am soon. I'm just taking in the moment right now."

"Sorry for crashing your holiday. I'll head home in the morning so you and Savannah can have the day together."

"You will do no such thing," Derek informed him. "You are always welcome to spend any holidays you want in this house. Don't you ever forget that. I'll drive you home after dinner, whenever you want."

Spencer smiled, relieved to have some place to spend the day with, knowing that if he went home he would only feel worse about not staying in Texas with his mother.

"How's the headache?"

"A dull throbbing now," Reid replied. There was a short pause before he spoke again. "Thanks for coming to get me tonight, Morgan," Reid said.

Derek crossed over to his friend, and pulled him into a hug. "Anytime, Reid. I told you before I'm only a phone call away, though I'd prefer that the call came from you and not hospital personnel next time."

Reid chuckled as he returned the hug, feeling safe in his friend's arms. "Got it," he replied as the grandfather clock of Savannah chimed the midnight hour.

"Merry Christmas, Spencer," Morgan said, as he released his friend.

"Merry Christmas," Reid countered, thinking that this year might turn out to just be that after all.

"Now that your headache is better, are you hungry?" Derek asked, wondering when the last time his friend had ate was.

"A little bit," Reid confessed.

"Let's go see what we can get you to eat then before we turn in," Derek said as he lead the way toward the kitchen.


End file.
